White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) is a U.S. government rocket engine test facility

Rocket engine test facility

A rocket engine test facility is a location where rocket engines may be tested on the ground, under controlled conditions. A ground test program is generally required before the engine is certified for flight...

 and a resource for testing and evaluating potentially hazardous materials, space flight components, and rocket propulsion systems. NASA

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

 established WSTF on the White Sands Missile Range

White Sands Missile Range

White Sands Missile Range is a rocket range of almost in parts of five counties in southern New Mexico. The largest military installation in the United States, WSMR includes the and the WSMR Otera Mesa bombing range...

 in 1963. WSTF services are available to NASA, the United States Department of Defense

United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

, other federal agencies, universities and commercial industry. WSTF is managed by the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's center for human spaceflight training, research and flight control. The center consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres in Houston, Texas, USA...

. WSTF is located in the foothills of the Organ Mountains

Organ Mountains

The Organ Mountains are a rugged mountain range in southern New Mexico in the Southwestern United States. They lie east of the city of Las Cruces, in Doña Ana County.-Geography:...

, eleven miles east of Las Cruces, New Mexico

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....

.

Rocket propulsion

The primary mission of WSTF is to support NASA's Space Shuttle

Space Shuttle

The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...

 and Space Station

Space station

A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a crew which is designed to remain in space for an extended period of time, and to which other spacecraft can dock. A space station is distinguished from other spacecraft used for human spaceflight by its lack of major propulsion or landing...

 programs. As the official Johnson Space Center (JSC) Propulsion Systems Development Facility, WSTF participates in propulsion systems testing, with test expertise in hypergolic propellant handling and training, and it is the Shuttle Fleet Leader for testing orbital maneuvering and reaction control subsystems.WSTF Propulsion

White Sands Test Facility offers numerous ambient pressure and altitude simulation stands to test rocket propulsion test systems as well as single rocket engines.

• Altitude Testing: The WSTF Large Altitude Simulation System provides altitude conditions equivalent up to 122000 feet (37.2 km).http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20090026004_2009024434.pdf
• Ambient Testing
• Fleet Leader Testing
• Unique Propulsion Test Expertise

Laboratories

WSTF performs testing designed to better understand materials used in space flight.
WSTF Laboratories

• Oxygen Systems
• Propellant Systems
• Hypervelocity Impact Testing
• Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPV)
• Standard Materials Testing

Hardware processing

The mission of the Hardware Processing Office is to provide the expertise to develop ground support equipment with the highest regard for safety and customer satisfaction. WSTF Hardware Processing

• Flight and Critical Hardware and Depot Processing
• Component Services
• Fabrication Services
• Measurement Standards and Calibration Laboratory
• Photo / Video Services
• Technical Publication Services

White Sands Space Harbor

WSTF operates the White Sands Space Harbor

White Sands Space Harbor

White Sands Space Harbor is the primary training area used by NASA for Space Shuttle pilots flying practice approaches and landings in the Shuttle Training Aircraft and T-38 Talon aircraft. Its runways, navigational aids, runway lighting, and control facilities also stand continuously ready as a...

 (WSSH), the primary training area for Space Shuttle pilots. WSSH

Health, safety, and environment at WSTF

WSTF's highest priority is maintaining a healthy and safe environment for its employees, contractors, visitors, and the surrounding community. HSE at WSTF. Since the late 1990s, NASA and a series of subcontractors have been working under the oversight of the New Mexico Environment Department to remediate a large plume of polluted ground water caused by repeated rocket tests at the site. Remediation has involved the construction of six wells from which the groundwater is pumped; a UV reactor which treats the contaminated water; and four injection wells to inject the cleaned water back into the water table. A second, similar system is currently in the planning stage.

Chemical and physical properties of materials

The engineers, chemists, and scientists in WSTF laboratories conduct testing of hazardous materials and propellants, air quality, aerospace hardware and ground support equipment, and all materials used in space flight. Standard Testing for ASTM and NASA, as well as ignition and flammability testing is routinely performed.

Hazards assessment

WSTF laboratory facilities conduct hazardous fluid assessment, hypervelocity tests, and explosive hazard assessment. The High Energy Blast Facility performs explosive testing with solid, cryogenic, hypergolic propellants, and other high explosives.

Oxygen systems

Oxygen compatibility is a critical issue in space, aircraft, medical, and industrial applications. At WSTF, researchers investigate the effects of increased oxygen concentration on the ignition and burning of materials and components used in these applications. Hazards analyses are performed on materials, components, and systems; and failure analyses determine the cause of fires. Training courses about design and operation of safe oxygen systems are provided by WSTF personnel under the auspices of ASTM. WSTF NASA Oxygen Systems

Space flight hardware

The Propulsion Component Test Facility at WSTF is an Orbiter and International Space Station Depot Repair Facility. Flight hardware assembly, repair, and acceptance testing for private aerospace manufacturers is performed. WSTF refurbishes hypergolic propellant components for the Space Shuttle, handle advanced pyrovalve testing at two laboratory facilities, and perform failure investigations. WSTF NASA Hardware Processing

Launch and landing support

White Sands Space Harbor

White Sands Space Harbor

White Sands Space Harbor is the primary training area used by NASA for Space Shuttle pilots flying practice approaches and landings in the Shuttle Training Aircraft and T-38 Talon aircraft. Its runways, navigational aids, runway lighting, and control facilities also stand continuously ready as a...

(WSSH) is the primary training area for Space Shuttle pilots flying practice approaches and landings in the shuttle-training aircraft and T-38 aircraft. Runways, navigational aids, runway lighting, and control facilities continuously stand ready as a backup Shuttle landing site.